Thursday, December 31, 2015

He's here.

Brett Leon Peterson II was born December 8th 2015 at 1042 am. He weighed 7 lbs and was 20 in long.

It was only a few short weeks ago. I had gone to my Thursday weekly doctor visit and was showing some signs of preeclampsia. They decided that over the weekend I should do a 24 hour urine collection. I was told that the on call doctor would let us know about test results. I never heard back on Saturday so I figured no news is good news. My mom was glad because she was getting here on Saturday evening. Well then Sunday was a resting day for me. Brett slept because he was coming off of a night shift. I don't remember much about that Sunday other than we got accepted for our new apartment and that I had a lil meltdown and couldn't sleep until 2 am. And I had been having some contractions as I sat on the couch at Brett's mom and dad's house for our weekly dinner and game night time.

We had planned to get up Monday morning and have IHOP for breakfast and then my mom and I would go check out a couple stores while Brett donated plasma. Things never go how you plan though. I had been up late going over the email about the new apartment and chatting with Brett. I'm glad I had put my phone on silent. Doctor Pugmire called early and left a message. I think I called her back around 10 when I woke up. She said that I was leaking proteins in my urine which meant I did in fact have preeclampsia. She didn't want it getting any worse and since it was almost my due date she said, "how about you go get some breakfast and then come into the hospital so we can have a baby today!" It was something like that anyway.

I think I was a little bit frazzled to say the least. I was ready and prepared as much as I mentally could be but there were still things I wanted to clean up and stores I wanted to check out before baby arrived.

But instead I had to decide what my last meal for the next 24 hours would be. My mom took us out to brunch at Robertos. Which turned out kinda funny that I picked this location. I sat down to eat my burrito around 11 and that's when I realized Robertos is where we went to eat to celebrate finding out we were officially pregnant. Things went full circle. After eating we went to get the car seat base from my car that was in the shop. (Did I mention my radiator cracked Saturday night?) Or maybe it was before, but either way we had to run a few errands before we made it to the hospital. I drove up to the hospital an dropped myself off with my mom and we waited for Brett to park the car. As we were checking in we learned that another woman had checked in to have a baby too. The birthing center was full that Monday. It took a few minutes for my room to be finished and clean but then we were in it for the long haul. It didn't feel like it took long for them to bring me my gown and put an IV in my hand. Dang. Just what I wasn't looking forward to = being stuck in bed. I mean I didn't feel like running around but sitting on the couch seemed like more fun. So they started me on the smallest dose of pitocin along with the Lactated Ringer saline solution. Basically the solution that made my feet and hands swell even worse than I thought humanly possible. I also had to have penicillin every 4 hours. Thankfully my first nurse Jenny was awesome at putting in an IV. Oh and they hooked me up to the baby heart monitor and the contraction monitor. I know I spent some time trying to watch tv and chatting but I never could seem to wanna fall asleep and get any rest. They all warned me but I'm a night person. The sleepiness hadn't set in. I think it was after 8 when Brett's mom and dad came and had pizza for his dinner. They ate in the visitors room while I tried to get some sleep. But there were so many beeping things I couldn't stay asleep. My blood pressure was being checked every half hour and if it was too high it would be to alert a nurse and if any of the drips on the IV were out it would beep until someone changed it. I'm pretty sure I commented how it seemed worse than a McDonald's kitchen with all the beeps.

I can't remember what time shift change was but that's when I got my second nurse. Not the favorite but that's just because thing got harder. Of course they were slowly bumping up pitocin and contractions gradually were stronger but she couldn't seem to find the baby's heartbeat as well. And she was so mad about it. Later on we realized baby decided he was going to flip an make it harder to pick up. Which meant he needed to have a probe put on his head. Which meant they had to break my water because that hadn't happened on its own yet. I stayed at a 3cm 70% effaced status for quite awhile. My blood pressure was getting to the point that it needed to be controlled too. I wasn't super excited about getting an epidural but Dr. Pugmire said that would also help with lowering BP too. She gave me a short window to pick that or another drug. But then I learned about having to break my water. I decided getting an epidural was the best option for my body, my baby, and my sanity. I mostly remember my second nurse getting all personally upset because I wasn't wanting an epidural right away. I think she was more relieved that I was okay getting one because then her job would be easier. I gave them the okay and shortly after the doc came in to give me my epidural. I am so glad they let my mom sit on the couch behind the nurse and Brett was able to stand next to me to hold my hand. Not everyone gets so lucky. I was in the middle of the process when a resident doctor came into my room to see what was going on. He said he had gotten kicked out of another room. I always thought I wouldn't want to let in any extra people, but it was okay. They talked more and I got to hear what was going on when they doctors were talking back and forth. That was more interesting to me then sitting through the pain anyway.

I should've written this down much sooner than 3 weeks after the fact. I might have remembered more details. I can't remember how long the night really was for me, but I do remember that I only got one hour of sleep. It was from 3-4 am. I needed a break from all of the pain and they gave me extra drugs in my epidural and that helped me feel nothing and let me sleep for awhile. Brett stayed by my side while I slept. I felt bad because I wanted him there but he couldn't sleep. My room didn't have enough sleeping spots for all of my visitors. Both our moms were with us through the night. We really thought I was going to be having the baby before Brett's mom had to go back to work. She ended up not being able to get a substitute either. I felt bad, but I was focused on getting the baby here.

The memories that stand out the most are when I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt like there was no more strength left in me. Each push was bringing baby closer and closer. I had been pushing for hours. I have always had some right hip pain and that was something that was making pushing and relaxing harder too. I couldn't get comfortable enough to get any rest in between pushes. It was rough. I had asked Brett if he could just say a little prayer that this baby would come soon. I think he didn't realize that I wanted him to say it out loud at first. And then I don't remember all the words he said but I do remember hearing the tears in his voice. I think we were both nervous. The doctor told me we could do a csection if I really wanted to but that she thought I could do it because there was progress with every push. I think it was only 10-15 minutes after the prayers and a few extra pushes and he was here. Brett and the doctor had suited up in their gowns and Brett was able to help in catching little Brett to welcome him into the world.

That might have been the biggest relief and strangest feeling ever. No words to describe. They brought him up to where I could see him. I just remember crying and asking to hold him. Brett said, we haven't even cut the cord yet. It all happened so fast. There were so many people in the room and I didn't really noticed anyone but my Bretts. I know the doctor was still delivering my placenta and nurses were prepping to take the baby from me to get his stats, but they put him on my chest. All I could say was how cute he was and it looked like he had my nose. And then as silly as it seemed I thought it was so cute when he peed on me. I was holding him and crying and thinking how tiny he was. His cute lil bum was sitting on me and we were just hanging out. His eyes were so bright and wide. He didn't shut them for the whole first hour it seemed like. Oh and that head of hair was so adorable.

It all seems like a blur. I was just so glad that they let me and Brett keep our baby in our room and with me for quite a few hours before taking him away for more tests. And he was such a champ when it came to his first feeding time. It all seemed to go fairly perfect.

There's more to the hospital stay story but this was it, our little boy had arrived at 10:42 am. He was 7 lbs even and 20 inches long. 14 in head. He was healthy as can be. We are so happy he is a part of our family and we love him so much.